To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is (a) the total number of staff in the House of Commons Library, (b) the total number of staff in the research division of the Commons Library and (c) the number of research staff in the defence and foreign affairs section of the Library.

The current complement of staff in the Department of the Library, which includes the Vote Office, is 197·2; of that number 52 are employed in the research division and a further 12 in the international affairs and defence section. From 5 April, the total for the international affairs and defence section will be increased to 13.